Antonino Pulvirenti has resigned as President of Catania after admitting fixing games. Italy’s state police issued arrest warrants against seven Catania officials, who they allege were involved in a plot to ensure that the football club avoided relegation from Serie B by fixing matches. Two sporting agents and two managers of online betting companies have also been placed under house arrest in connection with the case.

‘Mr Pulvirenti admitted that he had contacts with other parties in order to influence the outcome of several matches, in order to save Catania from relegation’, read a 29 June statement from the club. ‘However, he expressed the conviction, in light of reading the evidence, that these contacts did not have any real effect on the outcome of the matches in question’. Catania voted to install CEO Carmelo Anthony Milazzo to head a replacement of the previous Board of Directors.

‘Through wiretaps, investigators recorded numerous conversations that were particularly clear on how to alter the outcome of Catania’s Serie B football matches’, read a June 23 statement. ‘The police have thus discovered the existence of a criminal organisation with a stable organisational structure, divided into different roles and tasks’. Catania’s President, Antonino Pulvirenti, its CEO, Pablo Cosentino and General Manager Daniele Delli Carri are among those arrested, according to a report in Corriere dello Sera, which alleged that bribes of €10,000 were paid to players in order to favour Catania.

Police said that the illegal activity began after the away defeat of Catania by Virtus Entella on 21 March, which put Catania into the relegation zone. Police said they have established that five matches may have been fixed: Catania’s 3-0 victory over Varese on 2 April; Catania’s 4-1 victory over Trapani on 11 April; Catania’s 2-1 victory over Latina on 19 April; Catania’s 2-0 victory over Ternana on 24 April; and Livornio’s 1-1 draw with Catania on 2 May. Police are also investigating Catania’s 1-0 victory over Avellino on 29 March.

Catania was relegated from Serie A the previous season and finished 15th in Serie B during the 2014/15 season, just three points above the relegation play-off places, following its run of six consecutive wins. The Sicilian club, whose main rival is Palermo, won promotion to Serie A at the end of the 2005/6 season.